Cooking duration

[afton]

Just want to know how long is the avg cooking duration of DC members..

 

[Michael in FtW]

I'll say 2-hours average .... but it depends on the "menu". One night might be an hour ... another might be 3 hours. If I make pot of Italian "gravy" - that simmers for 4-6 hours ... but the dishes I make from it might only take 10-45 minutes. A pot roast take about 3 hours - turning the leftovers into a stew only takes about 20-30 minutes.

 

[Maverick2272]

Not in DC, but thought this was interesting so I hope its ok to respond anyway.
I would have to do an average as well, about an hour or so. In the winter we are off and have alot of time so we tend to make more complex meals that take upwards of 1.5 to 2 hours to make. In the summer we do either slow cooker recipes that are started before we leave and ready when we get back, or simple 30 minute meals.
I excluded the slow cooker meals as I think 8 to 10 hours would throw off the average, LOL.

 

[Maverick2272]

OH. DC is short for Discuss Cooking not Washington DC.

 

[miniman]

It really depends - average weeknight 30minutes +, Sunday dinner can be 2hrs+ and a dinner for guests - yesterday we satrted at lunchtime for 7pm meal.

 

[Andy M.]

I aim for quicker meals during the week and longer cooking ones on the weekends. 30-45 minutes on average for me.

 

[DramaQueen]

That's a pretty difficult question to answer. Since I cook everything I eat, it can take anywhere from simple pasta with my premade spaghetti sauce and a tossed salad 15 min. maximum to an involved but easy dish like veal Marsala 40 min. start to finish. I would say not counting cooking time no more than 20 min. on the average. But then, I've been cooking for 45 years and can make a good dinner in 30 minutes - I'm a fast worker - me and Rachel Ray.

 

[GrillingFool]

I am slow on the whole prep thing, because I really enjoy the slicing, dicing,
mixing and all that jazz!

 

[love2"Q"]

usually about a hour .. but for the most part its due to trying to
time it to serve at a certain point ..

 

[Caine]

5 minutes. 7 minutes if the bag of salad greens hasn't been opened yet.

 

[Bilby]

Just want to know how long is the avg cooking duration of DC members..

I'm already pretty much well done!!!

 

[CharlieD]

Really depends on what I make. Generaly Summer time preparations are much faster, use grill a lot, cook faster meals, more vegies, less soups. Winter I like complex soups, kind of meal in the bowl, harty stews. Takes longer. I'd say the most I'd need is couple hours. But I can make a decent meal in an hour.

 

[DramaQueen]

I'm already pretty much well done!!!

Everybody wants to be a comedian. I, on the other hand, consider myself "rare."

 

[Fisher's Mom]

I'm already pretty much well done!!!

I agree, Penny! And I'm stealing this line for future use.

 

[Fisher's Mom]

Thanks for this thread, Afton. It's something I've always wondered and I'm surprised to see that most DCers spend about the same amount of time as I do on an average dinner. But it was hard to decide what to include and what not to include. For instance, I clean as I go so there's not a huge mess to deal with after I eat. Also, I generally make bread early in the day and often, the meal itself is very simple because it really revolves around the yummy bread. Also, I often make several meals worth at a time. Very hard to average out the time but I think for me it's about 30-45 mins.

 

[StirBlue]

We are able to prepare high quality meals in our homes in half the time of a restaurant!

We just go out to eat because they have a coat room and valet parking.

We'll stop going out to eat when somebody starts leaving a tip on the home dining table.

 

[kitchenelf]

I spend about 1 1/2 hours - 2 hours most nights - don't ask me why - I just like being in the kitchen. Sometimes it is less, and sometimes it is more, but averaging I guess this would be right.

Yea, we have a bunch of comedians here, don't we?

 

[AllenOK]

I average between 1 - 1 1/2 hours. I could go faster, but then, I am constantly shooing little ones out of the kitchen, and I like to watch (or at least, listen) to the nightly news.

 

[VeraBlue]

I only really cook on the weekends...but the average time for my normal Saturday evening dinner is never any less than 2 and a half hours. Dinner on Saturday is always at least three courses. Thinking of it that way, that's not too bad.

 

[elaine l]

Since cooking is how I relax it can take anywhere from 1-2 hrs. I cook everyday but generally not weekends unless I am entertaining. I putter around in the kitchen after work prepping, cooking and drinking a glass of wine.